Puerto Rico Open 2025: 5 key facts about the launchpad for rising PGA Tour stars
The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico will play host to the first alternate event of the 2025 PGA Tour season.
This stop will bring yet another tropical, coastal golf course as the Grand Reserve Golf Club is the home of the 2025 Puerto Rico Open.
Despite being held concurrently with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, this event is still worth its weight in gold.
Whether it’s stunning beaches, vibrant culture, cuisine or the native Pina Colada, the tournament will have something for all golf fans.
The course’s self-proclaimed commitment to excellence is evident in every detail, with the idyllic setting an ideal location for experienced PGA Tour pros, and new and upcoming stars, to fight for victory.
Last weekend’s Cognizant Classic at the PGA National saw Joe Highsmith come out victorious with a score of -19, enough to take the winner’s purse and a maiden PGA Tour win in Florida.
This weekend’s event will provide a similar platform for upcoming talent to stake their claim with Major season now not far away.
With proceedings getting away on Thursday, here are five must-know facts about the Grand Reserve Golf Club – home to the 2025 Puerto Rico Open…
A career-changing catapult
Historically, Puerto Rico Open champions have struggled to build on their success with further wins on the PGA Tour – leading to talk of a ‘Puerto Rico curse’.
However, Tony Finau and Viktor Hovland’s victories at the event in 2016 and 2020 have broken the curse with both going on to claim regular victories on the PGA Tour circuit.
The El 19 experience
For this year’s edition, event organisers have launched ‘El 19’, a vibrant hub located near the putting green offering an injection of modern fan culture into the event.
In El 19, fans will have access to food, bars and local live music meaning Pina Coladas and good vibes will never be far away in golf’s attempts to appeal more to younger audiences.
Caribbean roots run deep
The Puerto Rico Open was established in 1956 and was part of the PGA-sponsored Caribbean Tour until 1965.
After a hiatus, the event was reborn as a PGA event in 2008, becoming the first official PGA Tour tournament on the Caribbean island.
Coastal winds deceive the course layout
On first glimpse, the Grand Reserve Golf Club Championship Course looks like a golden opportunity to go low with wide fairways and large greens an ideal layout for making birdies.
But it’s the often dominant coastal winds that will test the field most.
The signature 12th hole is a challenging par four that plays into the wind; the harsh coastal breezes can make reaching the 465-yard pin a challenge for most.
A two-year PGA Tour exemption
While the $4 million purse is somewhat short of the $20 million available in the Arnold Palmer Invitational that runs over the same dates, there is an added perk for winning the trophy.
A two-year PGA Tour exemption is up for grabs for the champion, something that can set a solid foundation for emerging talents to kick on and make a name for themselves in all PGA Tour events.
READ MORE: Cognizant Classic 2025 at PGA National: 5 incredible facts including the famous ‘Bear Trap’ stretch